Joan Endyke: GMA proposes front-of-package food labels

Wednesday

Apr 27, 2011 at 12:01 AMApr 27, 2011 at 11:31 PM

The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute, trade organizations for the food industry, launched Nutrition Keys, their voluntary program for front-of-package labeling, when they could not agree on labeling with the FDA, which is expected to present its version later this year.

Joan Endyke

In response to first lady Michelle Obama’s call to end childhood obesity, the food industry has developed a voluntary labeling system for packaged grocery items.

But the industry’s Nutrition Keys initiative misses the boat on the most significant key: helping consumers understand calories and weight gain.

An estimated 40 percent of Americans do not read food labels, presumably because the labels are cumbersome and hard to interpret. The first lady challenged the food industry and government agencies in March 2010 to develop simple nutrient information to help consumers better manage their health and weight.

The goal: quick, front-of-package references for key nutrients –– not a replacement of the complete nutrition facts label.

Most health experts believe calories, saturated fat and sodium are the primary nutrients Americans should limit in their diet and, thus, those should be easier to understand on food packaging.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute, trade organizations for the food industry, launched Nutrition Keys, their voluntary program for front-of-package labeling, when they could not agree on labeling with the FDA, which is expected to present its version later this year.

Four key nutrients –– calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar –– will be displayed per serving in an easy-to-read format. Smaller packages may list only one key nutrient.

Two additional keys –– “nutrients to encourage” –– may also be listed. They could include potassium, fiber, calcium, iron, protein and vitamins A, C and D.

Health experts are disappointed with the food industry’s decision to add “nutrients to encourage” to the front label because they say that information could mislead consumers. For example, prominently pointing out that a chocolate chip cookie contains 50 percent of the daily value for calcium implies it is a healthy choice.

The GMA says it developed Nutrition Keys because it shares in the first lady’s goal of “solving childhood obesity within a generation,” but its actions don’t add up.

For most nutrients like calcium and vitamin C, in addition to the actual value per serving, the Nutrition Keys will also display what percent of the daily value that number represents. But this information is not mandated for calories, making it difficult for consumers to determine if the calorie count in a product is excessive.

Aiming to garner support for its new program, the GMA claims similar front-of-package labeling is widely accepted in the United Kingdom. However, the percentage of average daily calories appears in the U.K. but not on all packages in the U.S., according to The Public Health Advocacy Institute.

Perhaps the food industry does not want its Nutrition Keys to unlock some secrets? If consumers saw that one serving of Breyers Ice Cream Poppers represented 24 percent of the percentage daily value for calories (2000) and two servings represented close to 50 percent of the daily value, they might think twice about buying this snack.

Fat chance that information will be volunteered on the label.

Joan Endyke is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in food and nutrition. Send your questions to her at www.wickedgoodhealth.com. This column is not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Check with your doctor before making any changes in your diet.